Letters to the editor: Monday, Nov. 27, 2017

Last year, I moved from Naples to a big city in the north, a city beset by crime, traffic, bitter winters and worst of all, a short boating season. I could no longer bear the heat, the thinning crowds, commercial activity wheezing to a crawl and with it, my income.

Letters to the edtior(Photo: iStock Photo)

So, my wife and I moved away and began to assemble a new life where people have to wear shoes and pants and search endlessly for parking spots. It began to freeze and we grimly set about buying clothes fit for an Arctic exploration. Through my apartment windows, I watched icy storms batter the skyscrapers, covering the city with thick layers of snow, blowing people off of the dirty black streets.

We survived the first winter and things began to fall into place. I resumed sailing and got half a tan back. Suddenly my wife was pregnant. Through it all I did not miss Naples.

And then a few weeks ago I flew back to Naples to visit my parents. We arrived at Southwest Florida International Airport. From the moment I stepped outside it all came back to me, like the embrace of an old friend. The wet, warm salt of the Gulf went straight to my head. I closed my eyes and heard the birds, the soft crackling of palms rubbing each other and waving in a breeze sweet with the aromas of flowers and freshly cut grass. Memories were rushing to me with such speed I could barely think straight.

That evening on the beach, the sun slowly slipped behind the horizon and crowds of people cheered and clapped. It seemed like the most beautiful evening of my life, but of course, it was just another day in paradise.

Eric LeVine, Lake Bluff, Ill.

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Florida Voices tells the stories of everyday Floridians, examining what issues matter most to them in the Sunshine State.

In my experience, the phrase “common sense solutions” reveals a lack of understanding of complex issues.

Ray Eifler’s recent letter to the editor is a case in point. His simplistic assertion that our national debt is caused by too many federal employees shows his lack of understanding of the federal budget.

Two thirds of the federal budget is comprised of “mandatory spending” based on existing law. It is not subject to the annual budgeting process undertaken by Congress. The remaining one third that can be trimmed is “discretionary spending” that Congress controls through the annual budgeting process. But, slightly over half goes to the military, which is unlikely to be cut.

Therefore, we are left roughly one sixth of the budget (15 percent to be exact) to find “enormous” savings. Some of the other components of this 15 percent include veterans benefits, international affairs, energy and environment, education, etc. Closer analysis reveals that discretionary spending going to government is less than 2 percent of the federal budget. How, then will cutting this result in significant savings?

Yes, the elephant in the room is mandatory spending for Social Security and Medicare, which most recipients worked for their entire lives. In 2015 these mandatory programs consumed nearly 40 percent of our total outlays. Admittedly, these programs are unsustainable in their current form.

What the GOP doesn’t tell you is that after they gift their wealthy donors with unconscionable tax cuts, they plan to pay for them with spending cuts from programs for our most vulnerable citizens. And like Willie Sutton, the famous bank robber, they are going to “go where the money is.”

Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

George Russell, Naples

Call for congressional ethics

If the normal lining of their pockets at the public tax money trough by congressional members was included in the definitions of sexual harassment, many Democrat and Republican members would be charged with it and subject to explaining their financial gain, thus professional ethics. For those members, it’s a good thing that this isn’t covered in sexual harassment laws.

Right now, it appears that there is no (other) way to eliminate this unethical congressional conduct. Many go to D.C. paupers, but return home as millionaires.

David Geoffrey, Naples

Blaming others for own problems

Words have meaning and are important. “Racism” is an unreasonable negative belief or hatred of another race.

“Social justice” is a mask for black “racism” against whites. Justice is provided by the courts, not the streets.

“White privilege” identified the white people in the South in the 1800’s, who owned property (land and slaves) and were called slave owners as they owned other people, whom were mostly black.

The people in the North believed that our country was a republic, formed by the Constitution and were called Republicans because they believed that the basis for that Republic was in the Declaration of Independence, which stated that “all men are created equal.”

The people in the South who were slave owners believed that property owners had special rights and were called Democrats. The United States flag represents our republic and Americans should show respect to our flag and country.

So, football players, what is more important than that which causes you to kneel when everyone else is showing respect to our flag and country? Maybe you are wrong about many things when you, and the people like you, are the cause of your problems which you want to blame on others.

Ray Eifler, Bonita Springs

Term limits needed

The histrionics, hyperbole and sophistry vis-a-vis health care and tax reduction/reform is a direct result of unlimited Senate and House terms in office.

Everyone in Congress, of either party, bar none, is only concerned with what impact his or her vote will have on his or her re-election chances and nothing else.

All reasonably informed people, and especially the media, are aware of the congressional Sturm und Drang (storm and drive); yet none in the media address this miasma resulting in penance for all of us. America desperately needs a limited term amendment and only the media has the power to “lead the charge.”

Francesco P. Morsilli, Naples

She didn’t write letter

My name is Barbara Levine, but I am not the “Barbara Levine,” author of the letter published recently criticizing the Naples mayor and council. I live in Moorings Park in Naples and a few friends asked if I had written that letter, while others may have wondered. This letter is meant to correct any erroneous impression.

I realize why the Naples Daily News does not want to publish the addresses of letter-writers, but without that, you do create the potential for other embarrassments.

Barbara R. Levine, Naples

Out of many, one

From an early age, I have had to grapple with the notion that many people think differently than I do about a given set of facts.

When you are younger, every issue is either black or white. There are no gray areas. It is the certainty of the young, the uninformed or the fanatical that drive the singularity of partisanship in the political arena.

As I grew older, and experience exposed me to more diverse geographical, racial, religious and other groups, I spent more time among many who thought differently than I did. I began to realize that the differences in opinions, and positions on matters of the day, were indeed both perceptual and legitimate.

People saw issues of the day through the filters of age, gender, religion, race, geography or socio-economic status. It made sense. No one favors a poke in their eye with a sharp stick if they can avoid it.

The notion of these perceptual filters made me a much more tolerant person in the political arena. Because of a variety of filters, people indeed see the issues of the day differently.

Given this revelation, it became more natural for me to assume legitimacy for the claims of others. The next step of course became how do we recognize the product of the differing filters and come up with a solution to a problem that works for all of us?

Given the toxic environs of today’s political climate in America, it might behoove us to remember the notion. “E pluribus unum” is our national motto, out of many, one.

Joseph Xavier Martin, Estero

Take statues down

The crazy “lost cause” nationalists are now attempting to convince us that the removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee is an attack on the history of the United States.

They attempt to portray this traitorous enemy general with George Washington, instead of someone similar like German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel (World War II) or Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (Pearl Harbor). Perhaps they should trade in their Confederate battle flags and swastikas for a history book.

Eleven southern states seceded from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America, with their own constitution, president, vice president, military and generals. They attacked the United States at Fort Sumter and killed U.S. troops. This led to war with the United States.

Lee, in particular, is responsible for the deaths of thousands of U.S. troops at Gettysburg, perhaps this may be a spot to place that statue of Lee, then one of Yamamoto at Pearl Harbor and yet another of Rommel in the North Africa American Cemetery. Americans should be outraged at the idea that this Lee statue was ever erected.

Americans should erect statues to our heroes like General William T. Sherman that brought the Civil War to a speedy finish by his march across the south where he taught the enemy how to fight a war with his “scorched earth” tactic. A statue of Sherman holding a torch in downtown Atlanta would be more appropriate than a statue of Lee anywhere in this country.

Lee died a traitor and man without a country; in 1975 President Gerald Ford gave Lee back his citizenship and granted a pardon for treason, some hero. Take the statues down.

Robert Martin, Naples

School Board should resign

The Collier County School Board's decision to deny the celebration of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday and instead to use it as a "make up" school day, indicates their unworthiness to be entrusted with the development of our youth.

The action evidences that at least they: Lack a sense of history; believe that Dr. Martin Luther King's black life does not matter because, were he white, would they similarly desecrate his day?; disrespect the majority of citizens who have accepted the legal declaration and celebration of the holiday; and wish to promote the sick concept of black inferiority.

Many will indulge in the bigotry of taking umbrage at these truths. I can hear their questions and statements: Aren't their children in the same schools as ours?; haven't they got the vote?; are not many of them moving up economically and socially?; hasn't there even been a black president? What else do they want?

The honest answer is yes, there have been some achievements, but far from adequate and fair. Much more needs to be available by way of personal freedom and equal opportunity. Some vestiges of slavery persist contrary to what America says it stands for. The situation has been so thoroughly researched and documented. I would only commend the New York Times bestseller, "The New Jim Crow," by Professor Michelle Alexander.

King was an American patriot par excellence. He devoted his life to the causes of freedom and justice constitutionally promised to all but still denied to many, particularly black citizens who have contributed much particularly to the early economic foundation of this country and have died in various wars for its security.

The Collier County School Board decision should be withdrawn with apologies. The board should resign forthwith.